Curse of the Demons
by NadinLuciferHawk
Summary: After the Battle against Obito and Madara, somebody - who they thought they'd never see again - turns up. But something is wrong with the returned... something dark... This is the new, rewritten and updated 'Curse of the Demon Seal' we had written some time ago. Read, Enjoy and Review!
1. Return

Darkness. That's all there was. Darkness and numbness and coldness.

How long? Where was he? What happened?

He couldn't tell. He laughed – or thought he laughed – because he could not tell.

Time passed. Minutes perhaps. Or maybe hours. Could also have been eons. Darkness gave away to blurred shapes and colors, numbness lifting to the feeling of something soft but hard against his back. Coldness turned to warmth.

Fingers dug into soft soil and dew fresh grass, anchoring the body at its spot. Lungs exploded with the first breath of cool air like a newborn's. Eyes fluttered open, staring addled at the blue sky and the rising sun.

With a gasp, Neji awoke.

-0-

The sun climbed further over the heavens, its light bright and glaring and burning. Neji had not yet moved from his spot on the field, staring at the sky above him.

"_What… what happened?"_ was the only question he always asked.

"_What happened?"_

He could only remember… screaming… the sounds of metal clashing together… a battle perhaps? He remembered a blurred… something… huge, with a single glaring eye. Glaring like the sun above him.

"_Move"_ his mind screamed at him, _"Move and find out!"_

His back arched in an attempt to get up, but all of his limbs felt unnaturally heavy. Movement hurt, all muscles were sore as if he had not moved for a long time. Or maybe moved too much. He couldn't tell the difference.

Somehow he managed to roll onto his side, away from the burning sun. Everything crushed back onto him. The battle against Madara and Obito, the rising of the Ten-Tails, the war and then… nothing. Everything afterwards had been like erased. He couldn't remember anything but darkness after he caught the first glimpse of the monstrous beast called the Juubi. What happened?

"_I'm not going to find out what when I don't move!" _he thought angrily, willing his body to move again. _"Come on, Neji. And they call you a genius, but you can't even get up!"_

With all the grace of a toddler he started to raise, fell back and rose again after a brief pause. Somehow – and after some time in which he desperately wished for someone to help him, but rethought and hoped nobody would see his awkward fight against gravity – he found himself on trembling legs.

He squinted his eyes, waiting for the green spots in his vision to vanish before taking a look around. It was the battle field, the very spot where he and thousand other Ninja had fought against the Juubi and its masters. But everything was different. Grass had already grown in the deep trenches and craters left behind after the tremendous war. The wood of the uprooted and smashed trees was bleached and halfway hidden underneath fresh vegetation. There were even some shrubs growing here and there.

Neji blinked in utter bewilderment at his surrounding. Where was everyone? Why had nature already started to recapture the area? And why the fuck was he still here then?!

Did they forget him? But then again, he could not remember anything. As if a smothering dark blanket was drawn over his memories.

He needed to find the others; that was the only way.

The first dozen steps were the most difficult ones, and he often stumbled and even fell to his knees a few times. Sometimes he found weapons and other equipment left behind by its owners, and grown over by plants. It sent shivers of fear down his spine. Because he could not remember.

Neji pushed those thoughts aside. He had to reach Konoha first. Then he could think about everything else.

-oo0oo-

Konohagakure was slowly being reborn. After all mourning was done – and pretty much every inhabitant of Konoha had lost someone during the past wars – the people started to build up again. Much was left to be done, but thanks to Yamato's wood release, they were able to cover the terrible scars of their beloved city.

At least the physical ones.

Even though the official time for mourning was over, not few Shinobi were still grieving about the lives lost. Even Kotetsu and Izumo. At least they still had each other.

Still, guarding the gate to the rebuilding city was not becoming easier with their mind constantly on all the Shinobi who lost their lives months ago.

"At least that Madara and Tobi guy are gone" Kotetsu muttered.

Izumo sighed. "Yeah, but we don't know where they are and what they are planning."

"We still have Naruto" his partner grinned, "And that brat is more powerful than I would have ever thought."

"Yeah, and he…" The man went silent then. "Look" he answered to his friend's unspoken question, "We have company."

Kotetsu followed the line of view of his companion. There, on the dusty road leading to Konoha was a figure walking swiftly, but unhurried towards them. When the person came closer they could see that one wore the traditional Shinobi clothing consisting of black underclothing, some bandages here and there, a brown hip bag and a green flak jacket. There was even the glint of a forehead protector on the person's forehead.

"One of ours?" Kotetsu asked then.

"Seems like it" Izumo answered, "Funny. I can't remember a single Shinobi going out for a mission in the last few days."

"Could be someone sneaked out…" Suddenly both Ninja froze and their eyes went wide as saucers.

"Hagane. Kamizuki" the person greeted them and came to a stop, "I…"

Swiftly both Shinobi drew their Kunai and got into a defending position. "Who are you?" Izumo barked.

The person blinked in confusion. "Why? What? It's me. Neji Hyuuga."

"That's impossible!" Kotetsu shouted, "You can not be him!"

Neji blinked at them. Sighing he said: "Please lower your Kunai. It's me. But I can't remember anything after the Juubi rose. What happened? When did you build Konoha up again? And how much time has passed?"

The guards lowered their weapons and stared at the allegedly dead Hyuuga. He was still wearing the same clothes he had been wearing when he was killed. Only his eyes were different, because the sclerae were black, highlighting the white of his irides in a truly ghastly way.

"Impure World Reincarnation?" Izumo asked his partner under his breath.

"No idea… let's find out" Turning back to Neji he said: "Sorry if we have problems believing your story. So forgive me if I do this."

"Wha-?" Neji began, but cut off when a Kunai grazed his unprotected shoulder. Splatters of blood sprang forth from the wound and Neji's hand flew to the wound with a: "OW! What was that for, you idiot?!"

"Resurrected persons don't bleed…"

"Right" Kotetsu drew his hand through his hair: "You wait here with Neji over there, I'll alert Tsunade. She'll know how to handle this situation."

And the Ninja took off as fast as he could. Izumo stared at the bewildered looking Hyuuga. "Sorry about your arm" he said stuttering, "But we weren't sure whether it's really you."

"Haven't expected anything else" Neji muttered. "But could you please explain me what's going on?"

The guard gulped and opened his mouth, but could not say anything. "I… I think we should wait for Tsunade-sama."

Neji rolled his blackened eyes. Apparently he had not yet noticed them. "All right" he huffed out and squatted down against the wall. "But then you'll explain everything" Looking at his shoulder he winced and added: "And could you please give me a band-aid?"

"Huh? Oh yeah… sure."

-0-

Naruto and his team had ended a mission successfully, and were now sitting in the new restaurant of Choji's father and celebrated with all their friends.

It was then that Shikamaru entered. He had overslept a little and was late. "Kotetsu's running around like a headless chicken" he stated, "Any idea why?"

"Nope" Choji said and devoured more ramen, "Perhaps Izumo found a spot of dirt on their table."

They laughed at this joke. It was a strange atmosphere, light and untroubled, and yet a little burdened down by the war a few months ago.

While they continued their celebration, Sasuke suddenly said: "I do not think Kotetsu's agitated about Izumo's normal freaking. Something's the matter."

"What do you mean?" Lee asked.

"Look. Tsunade, Kakashi, Guy and Kurenai run after him."

They looked out of the window. "They are running towards the East Gate" Ino said, "But why?"

"Let's find out!" Naruto called out, "Mr. Akimichi, is it okay that we check this out?"

"Of course" the red-haired man said, "I know you won't scoot without paying. Because if you do…" he squinted his eyes open: "I will find you."

The Shinobi gulped and hurried out of the restaurant. Through the window. And soon they were close behind the adults.

"Something's off" Sakura said, "Tsunade-sama looks… nervous. She never looks nervous."

"Yeah, I think I can see a fevered look on Guy's face as well" Tenten added.

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi asked over his shoulder.

"We saw you running and wondered why."

"I don't know either" the Shinobi answered shrugging, "But Kotetsu said we wouldn't believe him if he told us. He said something of a situation."

And what a situation that was.

As soon as they had arrived at the East Gate where Izumo waited, they all stopped dead in their tracks and their mouths dropped open.

There, in the dust, sat nobody but Neji Hyuuga. A little beat and with a bloody stain on his shoulder, but otherwise perfectly fine and unblemished. Even his forehead protector was still in place!

"N…Neji?" Tsunade asked, having found her voice. Neji smiled at her and got up, black-white eyes full of relieve and questions.

"Tsunade-sama" he greeted, "Please forgive me if I caused any trouble. But I do have a whole lot of questions and those two wouldn't answer me anything and…" His gaze landed on Sasuke and he narrowed his eyes. "What is he doing here?"

"Is that really you?" Naruto asked bewildered, "Neji?

"Who should I be otherwise?" the Hyuuga answered. Suddenly he was thrown over when Hinata and Tenten threw themselves at him, throwing him effectively off his feet.

They were sobbing, and Neji could not understand why.

"Why are you crying?" he asked softly, prying them off his body and standing again.

"Neji!" Tenten sobbed, "We thought we would never see you again!"

"Why?" the Shinobi asked, still confused. "I know the battle against that Ten-Tailed something was pretty harsh but…"

"You died!" Hinata cried out and Neji became still. "You died when you protected us."

"But…"

"We were at your funeral" Guy said from where he stood, voice full of regret and sorrow, "We all were mourning for you."

Once again everyone fell into awkward silence.

It was Neji who then broke it: "Please tell me what happened."

And they did.


	2. Welcome Back

By the time they had finished their tale about the war, Neji had gone very silent. He was especially touched by what Naruto and the others told him about his own death and what it triggered.

"At least it had not been in vain…" the Hyuuga said with a forced smile.

"But you died, Neji!" Naruto threw back, "You died and for us, and we still got our asses handed to us. Only because Sasuke decided to return in the right moment we somehow survived that battle without more losses!"

"What happened afterwards?" the prodigy asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Long story short, Sasuke came, helped us out, we drove Madara and Obito away, the Ten-Tails disappeared – no idea where either of the three is now – and then we just took care of the dead."

"I thought I would never see you again!" Tenten cried out then, "After your funeral pyre burnt down, the reality about your death settled really down. I… we were all so… desperate; and only Naruto and Guy could keep us from breaking down."

"Well…" Neji began awkwardly, "apparently I got better."

Tenten and Hinata choked a sob, half laughing, half crying. Only then did Tsunade rise again. "And this is what unnerves me" she finally said, "I need to know, how could you return from the dead, Neji? Is it the Impure World Reincarnation? Your eyes say yes, but you can bleed."

"Eyes?" Neji asked. "What's wrong with my eyes?"

"They are all black" Ino said and handed him her pocket mirror. Neji jerked back startled when he discovered his newly black eyes, before taking the mirror.

"Damn… you are right. This looks awfully lot like that forbidden technique."

"Do you feel funny?" Naruto asked then, broke off and asked: "How does a Zombie feel anyways?"

"No idea" Sakura answered, tilting her head, "Dry mouth perhaps? Urge to eat someone's brains?"

"I do not feel like eating anyone's brains, if it calms you. Although I am hungry."

"Can we be sure that Neji died at all?" Shikamaru suddenly threw in, "Perhaps he had been removed from the battle early on, and was replaced with a Doppelganger… that would at least explain why he's still wearing the same stuff like back then, and it would also explain the black out."

"Hmm…" Kakashi said, "This would be one possible explanation. "Let me see your curse seal, Neji."

Neji scrunched up his face. He did not like to see the ugly curse mark burnt into his forehead, which was why he hid it. But he saw what they were playing at and took the forehead protector off. To everyone's surprise the skin on his face was unblemished and unmarred like the rest of him. No curse mark at all.

"Strange…" Kakashi said, "I thought nobody could remove the seal once it had been placed upon someone… removable only through the death of that person."

"Either you are not Neji" Shikamaru concluded, "Perhaps a spy, or you are an improved kind of zombie. Or… you truly are him and you either did not die and somebody could remove that seal… or you managed to trick death and return."

"These are all possible solutions" Kurenai said.

"Then do whatever you need to" Neji said then, "Do any test you need to find out the truth. I can not help you at that – it's like someone pulled a blanket over my memories. I can't access any of the last few hours before my… supposed… death."

The other Ninja nodded and started right away.

Ino sifted through his memories and emotions. All of them were clearly Neji Hyuuga's.

Tsunade searched him for any signs for the Impure World Reincarnation, may it be the controlling talisman or any other sign indicating Neji may be a zombie. When she did not find anything, she also looked for any surgical scars stemming from plastic surgery or traces from a prolonged captivity. She found neither.

Finally Tsunade leaned back, crossed her arms and stared intensively at Neji, who stared back just as intensive. Everyone else seemed to hold their breath.

After what seemed an eternity the Hokage finally said: "I have absolutely no idea how this is possible, but I did not find any indication that you are not Neji Hyuuga. Don't ask me whether this is some Jutsu of an unknown type or a miracle from the gods… but… I can't say anything else but… Welcome back, Neji Hyuuga. We have all missed you."

-oo0oo-

The next few days were only chaos. Tsunade had taken Neji to the hospital to survey him in case something was wrong with him. There was nothing at all wrong. Only the fact that he had risen from the dead and his now black-white eyes.

Most people in Konoha were either utterly speechless or stunned by his resurrection. But that was it. Hiashi welcomed his nephew back amongst the Hyuuga without any second thoughts.

While the council was unsure what to do with the returned Shinobi, Tsunade gave him back his rang and state once she was sure that he was indeed Neji Hyuuga with all his abilities and flaws.

"We have way too few Shinobi after this war anyways" she told him, "I can need any help I can get – even from wondrously resurrected Jounin."

His Team was only happy to have him back. Lee had his rival again, Tenten her sparring partner and Guy his best student.

However, as time passed, some things turned up about their friend. His chakra levels were all slightly wrong. Animals reacted with increased fear towards him as time passed. He was increasingly sensitive towards bright light, one time even yelling at Tenten for using a Flash Bang. And his attacks and Jutsus became stronger than originally intended.

It was that one night that Neji dreamt of the darkness for the first time. It was only darkness, no light, no sensations no nothing. It was as if his body did not exist. The first times he awoke quite quickly and disoriented, but every time he could stay longer in the dream. He dreamt many more times about the darkness.

In his dreams Neji was always floating in the eternal darkness of the void. There was nothing around him, there was no up and no down. He could not feel his body at all. It was, as if he did not exist, and yet… he did.

After what seemed an eternity there was suddenly a voice. Deep, rumbling through his entire being, scaring and soothing at the same time, overflowing with raw power. Something he had never heard before. _"It is time"_ the voice told him.

And then there was a dull hit, and he finally felt his body. He was being thrown around, pushed away from the voice and away from the darkness. Suddenly everything hurt and he awoke, breath coming in shallow gasps and his body felt numb and tingling at the same time.

Neji looked around in his still dark room, remains of the dream still clinging to him. Especially the voice was still echoing in his ears, and he was sure he had heard it before. But he did not know where. The damn blanket still refused to lift from his memories.

His eyes settled on the alarm clock next to his bed. 2:14 A.M. Neji sighed. He knew he would not get any more sleep than that. Not that he needed. He had noticed that he needed less sleep and sustenance than his friends and family, and that he could see perfectly even in absolute pitch-black darkness.

The Hyuuga sighed again, got up and prepared for the day. It was still dark when he sneaked out of the Hyuuga compound minutes later and made his way through the dark, silent town to the training grounds.

There was no reason to waste time on trying effortlessly to sleep.

-0-

The training ground was where Guy and Lee found Neji at the crack of dawn.

"Up so early, my youthful student?" Guy asked cheerily. "It's always a good thing to rise early to train!"

"I couldn't sleep" Neji answered and threw a few more Kunai into a badly maltreated target. "So I thought I could train a bit."

"Good approach!" Guy praised him, "Let us train more intensively, Lee my youthful student, so we may catch up with our youthful comrade!"

Neji grinned and returned to his training, while Guy and Lee started with 1000 Push Ups.

Tenten joined them about an hour later. She was not as cheery as the two green-clad idiots, but motivated. She joined Neji and began to train her weapon techniques on him. Several hours later the two Shinobi enjoyed a break when Shizune came over to them.

"Hey Might Guy!" she called out, interrupting his and Lee's session of 10000 knee bends.

"Shizune!" Tenten greeted her while Guy and Lee came over, "Something the matter?"

"Tsunade wants to see you" the Hokage assistant informed them, "Your squad is going on a mission."

"Finally!" Lee cheered, "A chance to prove our training, Master Guy!"

"Indeed!" Guy boomed, "Refresh yourselves, we meet at the Hokage office in ten minutes!"

"Make it five Master Guy!" Lee called out, we can finish refreshing this fast!"

"Very well! Five minutes!" And the two green beasts ran off.

Neji sighed. "Some things just don't change, do they?"

"Nope" Tenten said smirking, "Come on, Neji, let's go."


	3. Doubts

The mission for Team Guy was supposed to be an easy one. Tracking down some rogue Ninja, incapacitate said rogue Ninja and send them to their judgement. Nothing too overly complicated.

But as it was said. It was _supposed_ to be an easy mission.

It wasn't in reality.

Instead of facing only a few rogue Ninja, Team Guy was met with slightly more resistance. A dozen rank A ninja, to be precise. And they were pretty adamant about not facing judgement.

Team Guy was quickly pushed into the defensive. They would have to escape and call in reinforcements, but therefore they had to stay alive. And the rogue Ninja were not thinking about letting them live.

"Shit!" Neji cursed and deflected another attack thrown at him, "I don't want to die yet again!"

"Who knows whether you'll rise again!" Tenten added, sending more weapons against them and injuring one severely. Not enough to kill him, though, but at least to incapacitate him.

"We have to call in Reinforcements!" Guy yelled over the noise of the battle, "Every good Shinobi knows when it's time for that!"

"We need to escape first, Master Guy!" Lee added and kicked after another Shinobi, "But they seem unwilling to let us go!"

"Then we shall have to break through their rows!" Guy shouted, "Let's go!"

"Aye!" his students yelled. Immediately their year-long training kicked in and they concentrated on the weakest link of the enemy's formation. They managed to break through with only minor damage to themselves.

However, when they started to run, the rogue Ninja caught up faster than they had anticipated and tackled the only female of their team to the ground, immediately swarming her.

"Tenten!" Neji cried out and whirled back.

"Neji!" Lee yelled and stopped together with Guy. "Master! We have to help them!"

"Neji! Help!" Tenten cried. The unwashed men had pinned her to the ground and held a Kunai to her throat.

"Yeah, scream as much as you want. We'll kill you anyways and send your bits back to your team!"

"But first we'll going to have a little fun…"

Suddenly the Ninja were hit with overwhelming force and thrown off the girl. Neji did not lower his stance when he glared at them. "Leave her alone."

"Ow that hurt" one of the thugs groaned, "Damn it, boy, what the fuck are you?"

"Look closely" another said and licked his lips, "If he doesn't want his girlfriend to have fun with us, he'll do just as fine…"

Neji leashed out and threw the attacking Ninja off his feet. But something inside him had changed, and he hit with much more force then he originally intended to – or thought he was able to. The man crushed through three trees before he stopped in a bloody mess at the base of the fourth. He did not rise again, and he never would, because Neji's attack had torn his insides apart like wet paper.

The Hyuuga stared shocked towards the bloody pulp that had been a man only a moment ago, and his team comrades looked just as shocked.

"SHIT!" the leader of the bunch cried, "YOU WILL FUCKING PAY FOR THIS!"

But before they could even reach him, Neji reacted and threw his arms out. A wall of solid black darkness rose from his feet and crushed against the attacking Ninja like a wave of water. Their bodies were crushed and torn apart, and their blood splattered everywhere around.

"Neji!" Guy cried out, and Neji gasped out. The Shadows dispersed, leaving behind a blood soaked field and mutilated corpses.

"Shit, Neji" Tenten gagged and covered her mouth with her hand, "What did you do?"

"I… I don't know" the genius whispered aghast. His nostrils filled with the stench of blood, and Neji… Neji found himself enjoying it! He slapped his hands over mouth and nose and gagged before shrieking: "I have to get away!"

"Neji!" Lee called after him as the Hyuuga ran with top speed away through the trees. "Neji! Wait!"

Guy held Lee back, though. "Leave him, Lee. Something's not right with our friend. He needs to calm down."

Rock Lee stared at his Master and then at Tenten, who shared his horrified look. But they did not follow their friend. They would catch up with him later.

"What was that?" Tenten eventually asked, "This… darkness?"

"Looked like the Nara Shadow Techniques to me" Guy muttered thoughtfully, "But as far as I know, none outside of the Nara tribe can learn this."

"But why could Neji just use that?"

"Like said… something is not okay with him… leave him be."

-0-

Neji had meanwhile reached a wide river running through the forest. Without hesitation he plunged into it, starting fevered to scrub the blood off his person. He was so panicked that he did not notice a person stepping through the underbrush.

"I reacted just the same when I was in your position" a soft voice told him and Neji whirled around, drawing a Kunai. There, by the edge of the river, stood a person entirely clad in black. Black boots, black vambraces, black greaves, body armor and black underclothing. Only the fingertips were uncovered. The body armor hugged the person's body so tightly that Neji could not say whether that one was male or female, and the black hood drawn over the head covered their hair completely. Although the voice told of a male standing there before him.

The blackness of the man's clothing contrasted sharply to the white mask he was wearing. But it was no mask like the ANBU wore, no. That mask was drawn out like an animals' snout and shaped like a dragon's face. It was entirely white save for some fire red pattern painted around the wicked looking teeth of the mask. Even the grim-looking eyes of the dragon were white, and Neji did not see any kind of eyeholes, making him wonder how the person behind that mask was able to see at all.

But that was not what worried him.

"Who are you?" he asked carefully.

"They call me the Dragon" the man answered, and Neji narrowed his eyes. 'Dragon' was surely fitting, since he wore a dragon mask. The man reached for said mask and began to take it off. "Although… you knew me under another name…"

The mask dropped to the man's side, held easily by three slim fingers. But Neji did not see that. His black-white eyes widened in utter shock upon recognising the Dragon's face.

"I…Itachi Uchiha?!" he whispered in utter disbelieve.

Itachi smirked a little and lowered his eyelids a little. His eyes were absolutely black as far as Neji could see. "That is what I was called."

"That can not be! You are dead!"

"And so is Neji Hyuuga."

Neji froze. He stared at the allegedly dead ex-criminal who idly stroked over his dragon mask. The genius needed several awkward minutes before he could compute the situation: "…Dead? I am… dead?"

"Did you not hear me?" Itachi asked, feigning hurt, "I said 'Neji Hyuuga is dead'. I never said anything about you."

"But… but I am Neji Hyuuga!" But doubts started to take root and grow within him, and he added: "Am I not?"

The Uchiha shook his head and hung the mask onto his belt. "You are not Neji Hyuuga. At least not entirely."

Neji narrowed his blackened eyes. "Explain it to me."

"You have Neji's memories, his emotions, ethics and feelings. You even have his abilities. And yet… you are not him. Not truly."

"How?"

"Something hijacked Neji's dead body, took over everything that was and was not Neji and became him" the Uchiha replied cryptic. "Tell me, do you dream of the void, too?"

The Shinobi's back stiffened. "Where… where do you know that?"

"I dreamt about it, too. I also felt the same lust for blood that you do. These dreams are memories, the only memories the new 'you' has on its own. All other memories are indeed those of Neji Hyuuga's body which you inhabit."

Neji's head swam. Itachi's explanation made no sense to him… and yet… it did. "I am… something else that poses as Neji Hyuuga?"

"If you wish to put it that, yes" the Uchiha said shrugging, "However, since you have everything that made Neji Hyuuga, you are basically him – with a few changes of course… your soul…" he stared at Neji intently and said: "…is no longer human. It's the soul of a demon."

Neji widened his eyes and his Kunai dropped from his fingers. "…Demon?" he gasped out, "I am… a demon?!"

A twig broke in the closer distance and Itachi narrowed his eyes before reaching for his mask. "Your friends are coming. I have to go."

"Itachi!" Neji yelled, "Stay here! Tell me! Where do you know this from?!"

The man had slipped his mask back up, but Neji could feel him smirking underneath the white, frozen furious expression of the dragon. "I am the same as you are."

Neji blinked and did not even hear the shouts of his team. He stared at the Dragon who prepared to disappear through the trees.

"Welcome back, brother" he said and was gone.

The Hyuuga stared at the spot at which the Uchiha had been only seconds ago. Tenten and Lee ran to his side, tearing him from his stupor: "Neji! Is everything all right?"

"I… I don't know" he whispered, "I… I am fine… I think…"

"Come" Guy said and patted his shoulder upon approaching, "Our mission is complete. Let's go home. We all need to rest."


	4. Battle

The weeks after this rather exceptional event were somewhat awkward. Neji rarely left his room anymore, didn't even go to missions and only left in the cover of darkness for some food. Or at the crack of day for the library and leaving only at the break of dusk.

Guy had filed in his report, telling of the new, unusual ability his student had showed, and Tsunade assumed it had something to do with his spectacular return from the dead.

She was right in the end, but nobody knew that for certain.

Neji himself had immerged himself in studies. He wanted to find out what Itachi meant. He had no such luck until now. There were no records on his unique condition. None at all.

"Neji Nii-san?" a soft voice asked from his left and he totally _did not_ jump three foot into the air.

"Hinata!" he gasped out, "You startled me."

"I noticed" his cousin said smiling her little smile, "Working again?"

"Yeah… I must've been so focused that I had not heard you at all."

"I'm sorry" Hinata excused herself, "Well, I only wanted to ask whether you'd like to come to the tournament today."

"Tournament?" Neji asked and frowned, "What tournament?"

"Oh right! You were… not around when the Kages decided on this…" Neji tilted his head like a curious bird, and his cousin felt complied to continue: "You know what provoked the last Shinobi wars, don't you?"

"Piled Up frustration mostly."

"Exactly. To prevent this, the Kages decided to hold a tournament each year. Every Shinobi is allowed to partake. They can fight against anyone they chose, who they think wronged them or something like that."

"Ah. So they can pummel each other to their heart's desires according to set rules and without having to fear the consequences."

"Just that" Hinata replied smiling, "Well, are you coming?"

Neji looked back at the massive pile of scrolls and books piling on the table and he sighed: "I'm not going to find anything world-moving anyways… can as well take my mind of… my problems."

Hinata nodded. But she was worried for her beloved elder cousin. Ever since Neji returned from that mission, he was withdrawn. She even heard him wake up panting at night, mostly woken up during nightmares. As much as she loved having her cousin back, she was also worried sick for him.

However, now she would not think about this. The Hyuugas made their way towards the rebuilt stadium of Konoha.

-0-

"Look at how many people there are!" Kankuro called out in awe.

"Well, they come from all other lands, what were you expecting?" his sister needled him. Turning to her other brother she asked: "Hey Gaara, what do you think?"

"It'll be a complete waste of time" the Kazekage said blandly.

"On the other hand, we may prevent another war by this."

"Tension on 'may'."

Kankuro groaned: "You are always so morbid, Gaara."

"I'm not being morbid, but realistic."

The three sand nins weaved their path through the crowds of people. They were not the only ones from Suna by far, but surely the most prominent ones. Tsunade came towards them: "Gaara!" she greeted the young man, "I'm glad to see you again. Come, the other Kages have already arrived."

Gaara nodded and started to follow the bubbly blonde lady, while his eyes wandered over the crowds. But suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks, causing his older brother to crash into the sand-filled gourd he always carried.

"Is… is that Neji Hyuuga?" the Kazekage asked quietly, but his voice was wavering slightly, betraying his shock.

Temari and Kankuro stopped just the same and stared with big eyes over. "Didn't he die?" the Wind-User asked then quietly, "Impaled by wooden stakes by that Juubi thing?"

Tsunade nodded slowly. "I have also not quite understood how he returned here. But I ran every possible test and could come to only one conclusion: This there is the one and only Neji Hyuuga. No Zombie either, it's him."

"But his eyes…" the puppeteer began and shuddered, "Their sclerae is all black! It freaks me out."

"Yeah. It's no Impure World Reincarnation, though" the Hokage said and watched Neji and his cousin disappearing within the crowd of Shinobi. Only then did she breathe out and turn to the three Suna Shinobi. "But something is still wrong with him. I just can't put my finger on it. For the time being, we have a Returned-from-the-dead Shinobi."

The Sand Sibs frowned at that. But they hadn't even known Neji was here until a few minutes ago, and could surely not add to the mystery known as Neji Hyuuga. So they continued Tsunade to the Kage Tribune, reserved for the leaders of the countries, and their most loyal Shinobi.

But Gaara could not stop thinking about Neji. And he would find a way to put his mind at rest.

-0-

Sitting between his friends and watching other Shinobi beating the snot out of each other with increasingly more flashy Ninjutsus felt vaguely familiar to the Hyuuga.

"Aren't Ninjutsus supposed to be stealthy?" Shikamaru asked then, "What the fuck does the guy want to achieve with _this_?"

Only moments the flashy guy floored his foe, and Genma counted him down. "Distraction" Shino muttered, "Could have figured that on your own."

Neji looked down where two Shinobi brought the beaten guy away. Naruto's voice tore him from his reverie: "Man Kiba, what's wrong with Akamaru?"

"I don't know" Kiba answered and looked down where his huge dog pressed himself into the small space underneath his seat: "But he's like this for some time now."

"My bugs are unnerved, too" Shino added quietly.

"It has something to do with Neji" Sasuke said, "Animals are acting weird around him."

Neji rolled his eyes. "Why's everything suddenly my fault?"

"Because it is."

"Bullshit."

"Shh" Tenten said, "I want to hear who's next."

Genma unfurled a piece of paper, frowned and took his mic. "Okay, the next one has signed up rather late… still he got all rights to partake in this" He cleared his throat and called out: "Gaara of Sunagakure! Present Kazekage! Please come here."

"Gaara?" Sai asked, arching an eyebrow, "What does he want to partake in this event?"

"No idea."

The red-haired Kazekage strolled out of the dark entry of the arena and right up to Genma. He shoved his toothpick from one cheek to the other and asked: "Okay, Gaara, who do you wish to fight?"

Without missing a beat, Gaara said: "Neji Hyuuga of Konohagakure."

"Neji?" Killer B asked from the Kage tribune, "Wasn't the guy dead?"

"He got better" Kakashi muttered.

Meanwhile Neji was frowning. "Me? Why does he wish to fight me?"

"Probably to find out whether you are the real one" Sasuke replied. Neji regarded his soon-to be opponent with a thoughtful frown.

"I heard he has 'risen from the dead'" Gaara said in the arena, "I'd like to see it with my own eyes, and test it on my own."

Genma nodded. "Well, to be honest, we all were pretty bewildered when he marched right back to Konoha… All right. Is Neji Hyuuga present? If yes, are you willing to partake in this battle?"

Neji waited for a moment, listening to the people around.

"The Hyuuga?"

"Wasn't his name said during the funeral services?"

"I thought he died?"

"Neji? What are you going to do?" Tenten asked.

"I have to find out some things, Tenten" Neji muttered. Standing he shouted down to Gaara and Genma: "I agree upon this!"

"Good" Gaara called back, "Come here and fight me."

"Don't do anything stupid" Sakura warned the prodigy, "He's going to tear you into pieces. Gaara's strong."

"I know. But it's probably for both our peace of mind."

"Good luck" Lee called after his retreating back.

Only moments later Neji stood in the dust of the arena before Genma and Gaara.

"I'm here" he said.

"Are you ready?" the proctor asked the Shinobi. Neji nodded. "Okay. You know the rules: No forbidden techniques and no killing the other. Everything else is allowed. When you're ready, we can begin."

"Let us start" Gaara said. Immediately sand started to float around him.

Genma sighed out, said: "Good fighting" and retreated to a safe distance while Neji went into his familiar Juuken stance.

"I'm not going to go easy on you" the Kazekage stated almost bored.

"I didn't expect you to" Neji replied smirking.

"Everyone ready?" Genma asked again, "Okay. Then Fight!"

And it begun.


	5. Crow

This fight was amongst the most intense Naruto remembered ever having watched.

Neji fought determined, using his most powerful Juuken Attacks against Gaara's sand to break through to the Shinobi himself. But he had a big disadvantage towards the Kazekage. He was a short-range fighter by nature, while Gaara covered both long range and short range.

And Gaara did everything to keep the Hyuuga on his toes. Lee felt reminded of the fight of Gaara against the creepy white-haired guy with his bones. However, the Sand Nin's restless attacking forced Neji to move great deals and make excessive use of his Juuken. It was as if Gaara wanted to force Neji to fight without chakra.

He had talked to Kakashi beforehand, and heard about the weird shadows the Shinobi had used to defend himself. He wanted to see this with his own eyes, so he could begin to figure out just what was wrong with Neji.

And the Kazekage was successful. Neji evaded another attack by a whip of sand and did not steady his footing fast enough because of exhaustion. Gaara used this moment and leashed out.

And the Hyuuga reacted promptly on instinct, shielding his upper body from the attacking sand. Suddenly a wall of black shot up, solid as rock, fending off the sand. Pretty much everyone in the arena was by now staring wide-eyed. Not even the Nara Shadow-techniques could be this corporeal!

"WOW!" Naruto yelled, "That was awesome!"

"Shikamaru?" Sakura asked, "Any idea on what that was?"

"Shadows" the genius answered, clearly bewildered, "But used differently to my own techniques. Neji's shadows are acting like a solid element."

Down in the area, said Ninja stared bewildered at the swirling darkness before him. It was like a living creature, an extension of his own body. Very much like Gaara's sand. Only the Hyuuga would never be forced to carry around that huge gourd.

With these things in his mind, Neji began copying Gaara's attacks. His shadows were still shapeless, but faster than the Kazekage's sand. And with it he managed to push Gaara into the defense.

"It's getting better and better!" Naruto cheered, "Look! Neji's figured his shadows out!"

However, Gaara was not one to back down easily. Now he had prove, that Neji was not the same he had met during the war. He could not put his finger on it, but something about the shadow's chakra was off. It was as if it was not cursing with the chakra of the world.

Neji started another attack on Gaara, his shadows easily outrunning the heavy sand. Gaara narrowed his eyes and covered himself in as much sand as he could, blocking the fierce attack.

Then it hit him. These were shadows. And shadows were vulnerable to…!

Without warning he summoned something into his hands. A Flash bang. Neji's eyes widened when he recognised the object, but before he could react, the bomb went off in a dazzling light.

The shadows were torn apart by the glaring light, and Neji had to cover his eyes, being momentarily blinded. Ever since he came back, he had an affinity against bright light. And because of this, he could not see the sand rushing towards him.

"Neji!" Hinata cried alarmed.

But it was too late. The sand had already reached the Hyuuga prodigy, aimed directly at his chest with enough power to break bones like strips of balsa wood.

-0-

The sand slammed into his chest with the force of a ton-heavy rock, throwing the brunette off his feet and flung him several yards through the air. His back hit the ground with a groan of finality and he slid until he slammed against the wooden wall of the arena.

Neji stayed dazed down, not hearing the horrified gasps and frantically screams of his friends. Gaara eyed him with the same blank stare he watched everything. He waited for a sign of movement, but Neji remained down, smashed chest heaving with desperate attempts to get oxygen back into his lungs.

"He will not rise again" Gaara eventually said, "Count him down."

"Huh? Yeah, okay" Genma said and started counting from ten down.

Everything around Neji blurred, colors, shapes, sounds, even his sense of self. His mind started to fade, back into the eternal darkness of his dreams. While his counter went mercilessly down and his friends waited anxiously for what would happen, Neji felt himself – once again – floating in darkness. And again there was that voice, the only sound which reached his ears.

However, this time it finally spoke more: _"It is time… be born and rise, my dearest child."_

Neji's blackened eyes shot suddenly open and his breath hitched in his throat. That is what happened! He could finally remember everything! The stubborn dark blanket had lifted away from his memories and he could see the truth.

The referee went silent upon hearing some strangled noises coming from the fallen Hyuuga. Only on the second moment he recognised it.

"He is… laughing?" Naruto asked bewildered, "Why's Neji laughing?"

It was not only laughing, though. It was a full-grown hysterical fit Neji went through. His lungs had repaired themselves, leaving him cackling at the ground.

Gaara narrowed his eyes a hair while the spectators started to murmur and rise from their seats in confusion.

"Hahaha… You were right!" Neji gasped between two shaking breaths, "You were right the entire damn time!"

"Who is right?" Gaara asked. Something was off, though, and he summoned his sands once again.

Neji was still giggling like mad when he climbed slowly back to his feet, supporting himself against the wall. "You spoke the truth. Do you hear me?!" he screamed, "You were right, Itachi! Neji Hyuuga is dead! I'm not him!"

"What? Itachi?"

"The traitor from the Uchiha clan?"

"What does the Hyuuga mean?"

"Not Neji? What is this madness?"

"Is he an impostor after all?"

Naruto and his friends looked at each other. What did this mean? In puzzlement they looked down into the area, where their friend made his way back into the middle of the arena, his laughing having died down, but an unfamiliar, defeated smile on his face.

Gaara cocked his head slightly. "So, my suspicions were true then? You are not Neji Hyuuga?"

Neji shrugged and said: "Nope. I'm not him" He paused and added: "At least not the original one."

"So, who are you then, and how comes you know all of his techniques?"

"I'm still not entirely sure myself" the brunette said, his black-white eyes gazing through the crowds of confused faces and stuck on those called 'friends'. "However, I'll try to explain it as simple as I can manage."

"Please do so" the Kazekage said, leaning back. Something was very, very wrong. The Chakra output from Neji was all wrong, not the same one it was only minutes before. "An explanation will surely lift these… shadows."

"Shadows" Neji giggled again, "What a fitting metaphor. It pretty much describes what I am" His face suddenly turned all serious, even though the smirk was still in place. "Forgive me for deceiving you all for so long. It was not a malicious intend, nor was it willingly. I simply… forgot who I am."

Gaara let his sands float up dangerously again. "Speak" he said calmly, but his eyes were a storm of emotions. "What do you mean, Neji?"

Neji smirked, closed his eyes and said: "Neji Hyuuga is dead" But what he said immediately afterwards made everyone's blood run cold. "I am a new and revised him. I am the demon which took his body and memories as its own."

"_Your name from now on shall be…"_

"I am the Crow."

Instantly, the shadows returned, covering his body with darkness. His shape was still recognisable. He suddenly doubled over with what seemed to be a groan of pain. Genma wanted to take a step towards the Hyuuga, but stopped at once. More shadows appeared, adding to the shroud of darkness. His groan turned deep and inhumane as his shape was twisted, growing to large proportions.

All animals, even the trained Nin-dogs, began to shiver and yowl, trying to back away as much as possible. The crowd was on their feet to see what happened, nobody stayed seated.

And as soon as it began, it was over. The shadows tore away when the new, bestial Neji reared up.

"The Crow…?" Gaara started. His sand shivered at the massive output of Chakra coming from the beast, and took an involuntarily step backwards.

A large black beast, with scaly grey skin and long, shaggy black feathers, so black, that they did not reflect the sun at all. His limbs and appallingly human body were long and spidery thin, arms ending in long human fingers with even longer, sharp nails. The legs were more like those of an animal, with huge claws on his feet. A serpentine tail whipped behind it, and a pair of massive wings flapped open. They could span over the distance of an average house!

Then the creature came down, smashing his long hands and chest into the dust of the arena. Only now did Gaara see the crow-like head with its split pair of horns clearly.

A single milky-white eye with slit pupil opened up in the middle of his head, narrowing at the sight of the Sand Ninja.

And then the Crow opened his beak for a scream. But instead of opening like any normal bird beak it also split vertically, opening the maws like an over-sized nightmarish flower with wicked teeth. The single eye was nestled safely between the two halves of its upper jaw. A long blue tongue shot out and twisted in the air when a bone-chilling screech/roar left the grey skinned throat. The sound was unlike anything they had ever heard before, and it froze Gaara on the spot. His sand slipped from his control and fell uselessly to the ground.

Neji was dead. The Crow had taken his place.


	6. Demons

The unearthly scream from the beast that had been Neji rang still in his ears. Gaara could not help but stare in frozen terror at the grotesque way the Crow clapped his beak closed, all four parts clicking shut like some sort of machine. The single milky white eye kept the Kazekage rooted in place.

Never before had Gaara felt like this. Fear. He had never felt quite this afraid in his life before. Scratch that, he had never been afraid before.

That was also the moment when all animals bolted. In the same moment the present elite Shinobi caught themselves. All Kages and their elite troops jumped into the arena to stop the black feathered demon.

Gaara could only blink when they released their Jutsus, wrapping Chakra chains and wooden whips and massive spires of rock around the Crow and forcing him down against the ground. The Crow crushed with a sound of protest, whirling up dust with his massive body.

When the dust settled again, the beast was revealed in his full size, lying bound on the dusty ground of the arena.

Naruto and his friends were on their feet, pressed against the wall to see the beast clearly. "By the gods! Is that Neji?!"

"Whatever happened?"

"Everything all right, Gaara?" Kakashi asked.

"Huh?" the red-haired Shinobi asked intelligently, tearing his gaze finally away from that white eye, "Yeah. It startled me; that is all."

"We need a sealing team here ASAP!" Tsunade shouted, "We have to seal that thing…"

"_Binding me…?"_ the Crow suddenly asked, and his voice sounded awfully much like Neji, only twisted and abstruse. _"Do not kid me…" _He was moving again, pushing himself up into a crouched position. The wood splintered away, rocks crumbled to dust and the chakra chains began to erode and disperse. _"There is no cage that can hold this bird."_

"Why are the seals not working?!" the Raikage roared out in anger.

"It's Chakra… it's like nothing I have ever seen before!" one ANBU cried, "It's nothing we can deal with!"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes and looked up to the now crouching Crow: "What are you?"

The Crow lowered his head, pressing the beak against his grey-skinned throat until it was almost entirely covered with the shaggy black feather mane. The single eye stared now even more eerily onto the Hokage. _"I am the Crow"_ he repeated.

"That's bullshit!" Naruto shouted and jumped down from where he was seated: "You talk like Neji! You act like Neji! Hell, you evenlook like Neji – when you are not big and feathery! You are him!"

Directing his one-eyed gaze now onto the bubbly blonde the Crow repeated: _"I am the Crow. Not Neji Hyuuga. The boy is dead."_

"But you know everything Neji does!" the Ninja shot back, apparently unwilling to accept the truth: "You act and speak like him, you did everything he would do as well! If you are not Neji, who are you then?"

The beast fell silent for a moment before speaking again: _"I am the Crow. A wretched child of the King of Demons. Born without body and identity, but gifted with tremendous powers, we know nothing else but the eternal darkness of our father's womb until the day we come to life"_ Spreading his spidery finger he continued: _"But to come to life, we need a soulless shell first, we need _death_ first. By taking a dead body as our own, we take their identity as well, we take their memories, morals, abilities and everything that made them, becoming these persons. _But_ we and they are never the same."_

"So you have deceived us all this time?" Tsunade shouted again, "I had truly though a miracle had happened; but you are only an impostor!"

Lowering his head again the Crow said: _"Like I have said before. I have not deceived you because of malicious intend, nor was it intentional. I have merely forgotten" _Gesturing along his massive body he continued: _"Rebuilding this body and returning all its memories from nothing but a stain of blood on the earth took most of my powers. I had not deceived you to be Neji Hyuuga; I had not known better. I do now. And therefore, you have my apologies."_

Tsunade frowned. For a beast the Crow was pretty polite. However, if that, what he had told, was true, the politeness came from Neji Hyuuga.

"Are… are you something like Bijuu then?"

That seemed to amuse the Crow greatly. _"Bijuu?" _he asked and threw his head back to laugh. The Shinobi cringed a little at the unfamiliar sound, but then the Crow snapped his beak closed again and said: _"Demons are nothing like a Bijuu."_

"Explain" Tsunade said and crossed her arms. "As far as I can see, you are pretty much like every Bijuu."

"_Oh, but I ain't" _Nodding towards Hinata he said: _"Hinata-sama will be able to tell the difference between a Bijuu and a Demon."_

Hinata – taken back for a moment because of the way the demon addressed her – nodded in bewilderment and used her Byakugan. She gasped and said: "His chakra… it's all different to everything around him!"

"_Correct. Bijuu are creatures born from this world's very chakra. They are part of this world as every one of you mortals is. But demons arise from a different plane of existence all together. This is why your Ninjutsu will never work on the likes such as me. I am above your Chakra paths. There is nothing that could stop me."_

"You are Neji" Naruto said again stubbornly, "You are him – a better and revised version if him!"

The Crow rolled his eye. _"Think whatever you wish. It will not change what I am. A Demon" _His one-eyed gaze turned away from them and into the distance: _"Demons do not belong into this world. And they don't belong amongst humans as well."_

Naruto widened his eyes: "Wait! You want to go away?"

"_It is for the best for all of you. Remember Neji Hyuuga as what he was. Do not remember me as him"_ Staring into a random direction he added: _"There are more like me…" _He lowered his chest once again and spread his magnificent wings. _"Farewell. May we never meet again."_

And with that, the Crow beat his wings once and … splintered away like glass into a myriad of black feathers, which crumbled to dust upon touching anything.

The Shinobi stared with open mouths were the Crow had been only seconds ago.

-oo0oo-

The night covered the world in darkness and the moon was only a sliver of its former glory. A whirlwind of black feathers appeared on a lone mountain side far away from Konoha, revealing a terrible black beast.

It looked around, its milky white eye the only visible thing in the pale moonlight, before it fell apart once again to take the shape of a long-haired man.

"I have seen you" Neji – no – the Crow said, "You can come out."

Nine shades broke from the darkness, their black clothing and armor having covered them before everyone's eyes but his. Now their white masks gleamed in the sparse light.

One of them was the Dragon, formerly known as Itachi Uchiha. He stepped forwards, crossed his arms and asked: "Have you finally remembered?"

"Yes" he answered with a defeated smile, "I am the Crow."

The Dragon nodded affirmative. "Then you shall be taken in amongst the ranks of the Demons."

Crow came over, looking at all the different masks and builds of the persons behind them. But he did not care who they were once. Now they were his new team.

"What will we do next?" one of the masked ones, a female with a dog-mask asked.

"Once Crow has rested and became familiar with his innate powers, we will go hunting, Wolf" Dragon said.

"Hunting?" Crow asked, "What?"

"It's more a 'who', Crow" Dragon said. "We will hunt Obito and Madara" The others nodded approving. "And Crow?" Dragon said, addressing him again. "Welcome back, brother."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

This is it, folks. Hope you liked this story, even if the ending is not as I had hoped...

To envision Neji and the others, take a look at this:

http*:*/*dragonlordrynn*.*deviantart*.*com*/*art*/ *Demon-Squad-Crow-340302778 (Just remove the *)

**I don't own Naruto, only the demons. If I owned this Manga, Neji would not have died.**


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